“You act as if you weren’t a perfect treasure, Eloise—­as if I didn’t consider you a treasure for a prince of the realm!”

A knock at the door heralded Sarah’s arrival for the tray, and Mrs. Evringham hastily wiped her eyes.

“Yes, you can take the things,” she said as the maid approached.  “I can’t tip you as I should, Sarah.  I’m going to get you something pretty the next time I go to New York.”

Sarah had heard this before.

“And if you know of any one going to the village this morning, I want a piece of lace braid.  Have you heard how Miss Julia is?”

“She was down at breakfast, ma’am, and Mr. Evringham had her out to the stable to see Essex Maid.”

“He did?  In the rain?  How very imprudent!”

After Sarah had departed with her burden, Mrs. Evringham took off her eyeglasses.

“There, Eloise, you heard that?  It’s just as I thought.  He is taking a fancy to her.”

The girl smiled without turning her head.  “Oh no, that wasn’t your prophecy, mother.  You said she was too plain to have a chance with our fastidious host.”

“Well, didn’t she look forlorn last night at the dinner table?” demanded Mrs. Evringham, a challenge in her voice.

“Indeed she did, the poor baby.  She looked exactly as if she had two female relatives in the house, neither of whom would lift a finger to help her, even though she was just off a sick bed.  The same relatives don’t know this minute how or where she spent the evening.”

“I felt very glad she was content somewhere away from the drawing-room,” returned Mrs. Evringham practically.  “You know we expected Dr. Ballard up to the moment the roses arrived, and from all I gathered at the dinner table, it would have been awkward enough for him to walk in upon that child.  Besides, I don’t see why you use that tone with me.  It has been your own choice to let her paddle her own canoe, and you’ve had an object lesson now that I hope you won’t forget.  You wouldn’t believe me when I begged you to exert yourself for your grandfather, and now you see even that plain little thing could get on with him just because she dared take him by storm.  She has about everything in her disfavor.  The child of a common working woman, with no beauty, and a little crank of a Christian Scientist into the bargain, and yet now see!  He took her out to the stable to see Essex Maid!  I never knew you contradictory and disagreeable until lately, Eloise.  You even act like a stick with Dr. Ballard just to be perverse.”  Mrs. Evringham flounced over in bed, with her back to the white negligee.

Eloise had seen what she had been watching for.  Her grandfather had driven away to the station, so she arose and came over to the foot of the bed.

“I know I’m irritable, mother,” she said repentantly.  “The idleness and uselessness of my life have grated on me until I know I’m not fit to live with.  If I had had any of the training of a society girl, I could bear it better; but papa kept my head full of school,—­for which I bless him,—­and now that the dream of college is hopeless, and that the only profession you wish for me is marriage, I dread to wake up in the mornings.”